Follow UsVirat Kohli retired from Test cricket with 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, studded with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. Kohli’s numbers did dip after 2019, but the batting maestro still finished as one of India’s finest red-ball batters.
Kohli averaged more than 43 in five countries - Sri Lanka, West Indies, Australia, South Africa, and India. In New Zealand, the right-hander scored 252 runs across four Tests at an average of 36. England was the only place where he averaged less than 35 (min 4 Tests)
Kohli played 17 Tests in England and scored 1096 runs at an average of 33.21, with five fifties and two centuries across 33 innings. He first toured England in 2014 and had a torrid series, averaging just 13.4 in 10 innings. Kohli bounced back in 2018 (593 runs @ 59.3) but struggled again in 2021 (249 runs @ 27.67).
Here, we look at three Indian batters who averaged more than Kohli in England (minimum 300 runs):
Former India Test captain Rohit is almost at par with Kohli in white-ball cricket, but his red-ball credentials are nowhere close. Rohit averaged 48.98 in Asia, compared to 24.39 in Australia (10 Tests) and 16.64 in South Africa (6 Tests).
However, in England, Rohit has surprisingly impressive numbers for an Indian batter. The Mumbaikar played seven Tests there, scoring 524 runs at an average of 40.31. During the 2021 tour, he averaged 52.57 with the bat.
Manjrekar averaged 50.05 in the 14 Tests he played in Asia, but this dropped to 29.77 in matches outside the subcontinent. The Mumbai batter averaged 20.8 in New Zealand, 21.89 in Australia, and 23.2 in South Africa, but did reasonably well in England, averaging 35.67 - better than Kohli.
India’s most successful white-ball captain, Dhoni never scored a Test hundred outside Asia but still has better numbers in SENA countries than many Indian batters. In 12 Tests in England, MSD scored 778 runs at an average of 37.05. He toured England thrice and averaged 31.43, 34.9, and 52.25, respectively, showing more consistency than Kohli.